Volume 1

The annals and antiquities of Rajasthan, or The central and western Rajpoot states of India / by Lieutenant Colonel James Tod.

  • James Tod
Date:
1895
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The annals and antiquities of Rajasthan, or The central and western Rajpoot states of India / by Lieutenant Colonel James Tod. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    181/660 page 157
    When a Rana of Oodipur leaves the capita], the Saloombra chief is in- vested with the Government of the city and charge of the palace during his absence. By his hands the sovereign is girt with the sword, and from him he receives the mark of inauguration on his accession to the throne. He leads, by right, the van in battle ; and in case of the siege of the capital, his post is the sooraj-pol * * and the fortress which crowns it, in which this family had a handsome palace, which is now going fast to decay. It was the predecessor of the present chief of Saloombra who set up a pretender and the standard of rebellion; but when foreign aid was brought in, he returned to his allegiance and the defence of the capital. Similar sen- timents have often been awakened in patriotic breasts, when roused by the interference of foreigners in their internal disputes. The evil entailed on the state by these heriditary offices will appear in its annals. In Mewar the dignity is heriditary in the house of Ahwa; but che last brave chief who held it became the victim of a revengeful and capricious- sovereign,*f* who was jealous of his exploits; and dying, he bequeathed a curse to his posterity who should again accept the office. It was accordingly trans- ferred to the next in dignity, the house of Ausope. The present chief, wisely distrusting the prince whose reign has been a series of turmoils, has kept aloof from court. When the office was jointly held by the chiefs of Nimaj and Pokurna, the tragic end of the former afforded a fine specimen of the prowess and heroism of the Rahtore Rajpoot. In truth, these pradhans of Marwar have always been mill-stones round the necks of their princes ; an evil interwoven in their system when the partition of estates took place amidst the sons of Joda in the infancy of this state. It was, no doubt, then deemed politic to unite to the interests of the crown so powerful a branch,, which when combined could always control the rest; but this gave to much equality. Deo Sing, the great-grandfather of the Pokurna chief alluded to, used to sleep in the great hall of the palace with five hundred of his clan around him. “ The throne of Marwar is in the sheath of my daggar,” was the repeated boast of this arrogant chieftain. It may be anticipated that either he or his sovereign would die a violent death. The lord of Pokurna was entrapped, and instant death commanded ; yet with the sword suspended over his head, his undaunted spirit was the same as when seated in the hall, and surrounded by his vassals. “ Where, traitor, is now the sheath that holds the fortunes of Marwar?,’ said the prince. The taunt recoiled with bitterness when he lofti- ly replied, “ with my son at Pokurna I have left it.” No time was given for further insult; his head rolled at the steps of the palace ; but the dagger of Pokurna still haunts the imagination of these princes, and many attempts have been made to get possessed of their strong-hold on the edge of the from the battle of Oojein, in which the southrens first swept Mewar, was not permitted to re- cover. The mother of the present young chief of the Thala tribe of the house of Gogoonda, in the west, was afraid to trust him from her sight. She is a woman of great strength of mind and excellent character, but too indulgent to an only son. He is a fine bold youth, and, though impatient of control, may be managed. On horseback with his lance, in chase of ths wild boar, a more resolute cavalier could not be seen. His mother, when he left the estate alone for court, which he seldom did without her accompanying him, never failed to send me a long letter, beseeching me to guard the welfare of her son. My house was his great resort: he delighted to pull over my books, or go fishing or riding with me. * Surya, ‘ sun and pol, ‘gate.’ Police, a porter. t “ The cur can bite,” the reply of this chief, either personally, or to the person who re- ported that his sovereign so designated him, was never forgiven.
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